Bartzokas: «We showed what we can do»
Olympiacos crushed AEK with a record of three-pointers and our teams coach, Giorgos Bartzokas had no other option but to pass due credit.
“The first game we played in our gym for the new year against AEK, one for our national league, was a showcase of part of our disposition to pass the ball, play as a team, show what we can do and please the fans that came to see us. I’m very content. AEK is a team that I appreciate a lot, they pass the ball very well. They played with a lot of intensity and speed in the transition in the first quarter, executed very well from the perimeter and made it hard for us. But we insisted on the way we were supposed to defend, and also pass the ball. When we do that, we are a tough team to play against. What we wanted was not to get depleted of energy. We had the chance for Walkup to only play 11,5 minutes, who is going to be having a lot of work in the next games, Sloukas played under 15, Fall had 10… We practically were able to rotate and for all the players to prove how important they are. For instance Lountzis, he showed to have this level with ease and for these players, just like for Papas, it’s very important that when they get in to play, they are ready to do so. Good luck to AEK with their qualification game”.
He also commented on the records made: “Records are to be broken. The thing is that Canaan needed only twenty minutes to score eight threes. When he had made seven, I was asked to leave him in the game for a little longer, although I intended to substitute him, so that he could score another one and break the record. I’m happy for him. There’s no doubt he’s a really talented shooter”.
AEK’s coach, Elias Kantzouris, pointed out: “I don’t think there’s something we can say about what happened after the first quarter. Olympiacos has a great momentum going. We came here knowing how difficult it was going to be. After the first quarter, but also during a big part of the first one, we did nothing from what we had planned for defense wise. And it’s only natural, when you play against such a good team, when you let them execute and move the ball and you don’t use your body, this is what happens”.